Spigold apple tree
- Picking season: Late
- Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
- Pollination group: 4
A good-tasting cross between Northern Spy and Golden Delicious.
Spigold apple trees for sale
Small 1-year bare-root tree
$37.95
Mature height: 6ft-9ft after 10 years
Dwarf rootstock
Next deliveries
We are now accepting pre-orders for the spring 2024 planting season.
As the name suggests, Spigold is related to Northern Spy and Golden Delicious, and it seems to combine the best characteristics of both varieties. It is a large orange/red flushed apple, with a crisp flesh.
The excellent flavor and texture clearly come from Golden Delicious, but there are extra dimensions coming from the Northern Spy side, which make the flavor far more interesting than Golden Delicious.
How to grow
Spigold is a triploid variety, so will not pollinate other apples. However its triploid nature helps make it reasonably disease-resistant.
Whilst it is much easier to grow than Northern Spy, not all that variety's unruly growth habits have been eliminated. The main issue is that Spigold has a strong upright habit, which is not ideal for fruitful growth or limb strength, so try to encourage the new shoots to spread sideways rather than upwards whilst they are still young and pliable.
Spigold retains the Northern Spy tendency towards biennial bearing, so if the tree sets a heavy crop, be sure to thin the fruitlets in June - this will improve the flavor of the remaining apples and help prevent the tree becoming biennial.
Advice on fruit tree pollination.
History
Spigold was developed by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station and released in 1962. It is a cross between Golden Delicious and Red Spy, a red-colored sport of Northern Spy. The motivation was to produce a grower-friendly tree with some of the unique "Spy" flavor.
Spigold characteristics
- Gardening skillAverage
- Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
- Pollination group4
- Pollinating othersPoor
- PloidyTriploid
- Bearing regularityBiennial tendency
- WildlifeRHS Plants for Pollinators
- Picking seasonLate
- UsesEating freshJuice
- Keeping (of fruit)3 months or more
- Flavor style (apples)Sweet/Sharp
- Juice styleSweeter
- FireblightSome resistance
- Cedar apple rustVery susceptible
- Summer maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)
- Country of originUnited States
- Period of origin1950 - 1999
- Fruit sizeLarge
Similar varieties
Northern SpyNorthern Spy is a popular late-season American heirloom apple variety which stores well.
NovaspyAn improved form of Northern Spy, and an excellent all-round apple for northern areas.
